1. MGS 3 - Enjoyed the new mechanics camo and stamina, added a new layer to the gameplay.
2. MGS 2 - Decent sequel to MGS, added the ability to shoot in first person although story wasn't that great.
3. MGS - I love the first MGS game but it doesn't sit that high for me as some of the old gameplay isn't up to par with the later titles.

1) MGS2, because it is a flawed masterpiece - some great themes and ideas (that resonate especially well today - such as memes) with some really shitty plot developments. I actually really liked Raiden, so haters can suck it. Solidus was BOSS. Also ambitious as fuck, so I always appreciate that in a video game.

2) MGS1, Great game with the most grounded plot, nice twist, best boss characters and satisfying end.

3) MGS3, Personally my least favorite to play. Hated the camo shit. However, I really loved all the codec conversations in this one and dat ending made me shed manly tears. Just a pity that it was the least fun to play.

I will also add that MGS4 was the most refined, and fun to play of the whole lot. However, fuck that story. Still, there were some great moments and I liked the big-budget epic finale sendoff treatment given to it. The audio visual presentation was great for its time.

1. MGS3: Kojima really nailed it with the open environments and eating mechanic. Although it was a pain to open the menu continually, I thought the whole concept was really immersive. The most fun I've had with the franchise.

2. MGS1 & MGS4: A tie. I understand all the criticisms given to MGS4 and accept them, but the gameplay was really at its finest in this one. If you can forgive the came for its sins, it really is a masterpiece. MGS1 ties it because of its unparalleled atmosphere, fostered by a consistent design aesthetic and kick-ass soundtrack.

3. MGS2: For all the hating, I still like this game a lot. It is hard to remember how amazing it was back in the day, but after playing it on the HD Collection, it still holds up. If you can get past the awful controls and convoluted story, it definitely holds its own in the series.

4. MGS:PW: I'm sorry. I know I'm supposed to like this game, but it grabs me the least out of all the games, and I'm playing it on PS3. I think its the episodic format and the claustrophobic scale of the levels. Also, the inability to crawl and invisible walls really piss me off. I'm sorry, but if this was supposed to be a "sequel" of sorts to Snake Eater, Kojima completely missed what made that game so freaking awesome: wide open level design, crawling through grass, and eating snakes.

1. MGS2: Perfected the fixed camera angle gameplay. Amazing atmosphere and story until you go and save Emma. Incredibly clean art style and 60 fps make this game look stunning even now.
2. MGS: Best story by far, amazing game.
3. MGS4: So much variety and so many ways to play.

The reason why I love the series so much is that I have the hardest time ranking them. I like each of them for their own different reasons, so in a perfect world I would say "I like em all the same!" However, I can't do that here, so I will try my best.

1. MGS2; when I first played it, I didn't know what to think and felt betrayed when I was suddenly having to play with this new guy. As time went on I started to realize and accept the brilliance of the story decisions and how Kojima refused to give us more of the same, and instead took massive risks that I felt paid off beautifully. I also love the art direction and general aesthetics of the game.
2. MGS; this one barely squeezes out MGS3 because of nostalgia/memories. The storytelling was awesome, the music mindblowing, some truly emotional moments, and a wonderful ending.
3. MGS3; one of the greatest endings ever in a game, lush environments, The Boss, The End, the Shagohod chase. Incredible.
4. MGS4; I love it, but dislike the in-between act stuff on the plane, how each act has to install, and I thought the final boss fight and setting was weird and poorly done. Not nearly climactic enough for me. However, everything leading up to it was amazing at least, such as the Vamp fight, the Rex vs. Ray fight, etc. That being said I think it's a phenomenal game and a fantastic sendoff for the series.

The only game in the series that I just flat out didnt enjoy was Portable Ops.

Peace Walker was perfect for me. The story wasnt completely pants on head, there were no superhero villains, the characters were interesting, there was plenty to collect and do beyond missions, ect.

Simply a well crafted game.

I loved Peace Walker. It was so fun and enjoyable, I had a smile on my face the entire way through. The humor in it was probably the best in the series - "Hideo...Kojima" "Kojima is God"
But the main story was pants on head. Kojima needs an editor badly.

I laud the decisions and ambitions of MGS2. The swtcheroo was ballsy and now that most of us are not twelve and consider it cool to hate "girly" Raiden - his character is actually nicely developed and was different enough from Snake. I liked the themes the game dealt with, the introduction of the Patriots arc and thought Solidus was a morally complex villain.

Also, dat HGW score, production values were through the roof and it really felt like playing a movie at 60fps. It actually felt like Kojima and co stepped up their game to deliver a grand sequel.

People voting MGS2 > MGS1, did you play it in that order or the chronological order?

I played them in chronological order. Played MGS when it came out and slogged through the unbearable wait for MGS2. When I first played MGS2, hell, years after I played MGS2 I would have scoffed at the idea of putting it above the original. But time really shaped my opinion of the game.

1.MGS4 - I really loved that game, it's not perfect and I would really like to see a Subsistence version, it hit all the right notes for me but I still don't like the Installing between each Acts and wish we could bypass that.
2.MGS2 - Groundbreaking for it's time but I still enjoy going back and playing it, The two parts are still so memorable for me.
3.MGS3 - It was such a surprise game for me but It has a great story and a great soundtrack, I really liked it.

Originally Posted by RustyNails

People voting MGS2 > MGS1, did you play it in that order or the chronological order?

Yes, I played MGS1 when it came out and I really like it but I put all three of the sequels above it.

People voting MGS2 > MGS1, did you play it in that order or the chronological order?

I played MGS1 then MGS2. I have always bought and played the vanilla version btw (no VR mission/substance/subsistence/HD pack, e.t.c.)

The biggest problem most kids have was no more sorridu snake. Once you get past that - MGS2 is a brilliant game that greatly expands the MGS lore. Also, Raiden is a great character once you get past how he looks.

I feel that MGS2 also has aged better than all the other games (yes even MGS4). MGS1 feels a bit clunky and dated, MGS3 is clunky as fuck (again vanilla MGS3 had the worst mechanics of the series, haven't played subsistence) and then you have the much refined MGS4 with the shitty story.

I love 3 and I'd rather play it than 1, but I think 1 set the standard and is the better story/atmosphere. MGS1 had a great blend of comic book like story telling about nuclear proliferation, science, war. MGS3 becomes even less grounded in reality but so much more fun because of the location and boss fights and man what an ending. MGS3's characters were a bit more larger than life and while it didn't do the story any favors it made for great gameplay.I kinda wish I could divide points among the top two.

People voting MGS2 > MGS1, did you play it in that order or the chronological order?

Yup, chronological order. MGS was fun, but MGS2 just took all of the good parts and improved them. I appreciate a good mindfuck once in a while, and MGS2 most certainly is one. Plus MGS2 is probably the best of the series to mess with the guards in. The balance of stupid/dangerous is just right.

Solid Snake is just a player avatar. So is Raiden. I kind of liked seeing Snake from the outside, really, and Raiden was fun in his own way.

1. MGS2; This was the first one I played so naturally I will always place this as my favorite in the series.
2. MGS4; Yes, the movies are freaking long and the story is as convoluted as can be, but MGS games are best known for its ridiculous and convoluted stories and this brought that ten fold and more. It was also my first PS3 game, the only reason I bought a PS3.
3. MGS1
4. MGS3

Personally, I got more enjoyment out of the fourth in the series than any others in the franchise. This is coming from someone who just sat down last year and played them all for the first time to completion, so obviously I don't have a perspective of those other games when they first launched, but I have to stick to this list.